We have to be careful to call someone with an earth body, Buddha for the mere reason that Buddha said that there would be no one like him for many thousands of years. Hence if someone is Buddha, now, it contradicts that.

All the same, each ascetic should be evaluated on the basis of his/her austerities and achievement. By achievement I mean inner achievement in relation to the adjuncts. That is not easy to ascertain because it requires mystic vision which most people do not have. One cannot check something which is abstract to one's senses. This makes it near impossible to rate an ascetic.

Unfortunately the Way of the East is to not disclose your inner achievements and experiences and Buddha (Gautam) broke that tradition and did state in no uncertain terms what he experience.

Recently I do the same where I describe in plain terms many of my experiences. In that way people can judge me if they cannot for any reason see what happens in my practice.

But even for me, it is a challenge to divulge all the experiences. Some are too subtle to describe. Others go against the grain of moral positions where if they are described people will cry out for it. All in all, it is the experiences of the ascetic which we need to know of, if we are to form an opinion.

If thousands of followers doing pranams (respectfully bowing) is the signal of a Buddha, then so is he!